Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Basketball Hosts Lafayette, Coat Drive Wednesday
1/19/2010 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 19, 2010
WHAT: Bucknell (4-12, 0-3) vs. Lafayette (4-13, 2-1)
WHERE: Sojka Pavilion, Lewisburg, Pa.
WHEN: 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 20
PROMOTIONS: Coat Drive
RADIO: WVBU 90.5 FM, SportsJuice.com
STREAMING VIDEO: BucknellBison.com
LIVE STATISTICS: BucknellBison.com
Complete Bucknell-Lafayette Game Notes 
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ABOUT THE GAME
Bucknell continues the first round of Patriot League action, still looking to put that first notch in the wins category. For the second straight game, the Bison will host a team with an overall record of 4-13, this time in the form of the Lafayette Leopards.
Wednesday's showdown with the Leopards has been designated Service Personnel Night, with members of the service industry being invited to attend the game and be recognized throughout the contest.
WITH A VICTORY OVER LAFAYETTE, BUCKNELL WOULD...
► Win its first Patriot League contest of the season.
► Earn the first winning streak of the series by either team since 2005-06. Bucknell won two straight against the Leopards by an average of 8.5 points.
► Bring its home record back to .500 (4-4) for the season.
► Avoid starting the Patriot League season 0-4. The last time the Bison started 0-4 against league foes was in 1991-92 when Juliene Simpson's squad fell in five consecutive league contests to start the year.
LAST MEETING - FEB. 18, 2009
► Bucknell 58, Lafayette 40 (Sojka Pavilion)
► The victory gave Bucknell its 400th win in program history.
► Cosima Higham posted the fifth double-double of her career with 12 points and 11 rebounds. With two rejections, the forward also moved into a tie for 10th place on Bucknell's single-season blocks list with 32.
► The first half saw plenty of back-and-forth play with the lead changing hands three times over the next six minutes at one point, but a drought from the field sank the Leopards' chances for a solid comeback. Lafayette connected for just one field goal in the last 11:53 of the frame.
► Lafayette was held to 25.5 percent shooting (13-for-51) on the night, while Bucknell shot better than 40 percent (20-for-48).
QUICK FACTS
Bucknell is averaging 44.3 points per game in Patriot League play ... Trisha Krewson has scored in double-figures in each of the last six games ... Bucknell has recorded at least one block in every game this year, including a season-high 10 at Cornell ... Cosima Higham's six blocked shots at Cornell ties her for sixth at Bucknell for most rejections in a single game ... Bucknell's 30-point loss at Navy was the largest margin of defeat by the Bison in series history ... three Bison have scored in double figures in five of the last seven games ... Krewson became the first Bison this year to score better than 20 points in two consecutive contests, posting 30 vs. Lycoming and 25 at Buffalo ... Krewson's performances in those two games earned her Patriot League/Anaconda Player of the Week ... Joyce Novacek has recorded at least one blocked shot in 10 of the last 13 games ... Rachel Voss and Lindsay Horbatuck have each been named the Patriot League/Anaconda Rookie of the Week this year ... Higham was named to the Iona Tip-Off All-Tournament Team during the season's opening weekend.
HISTORY VS. LAFAYETTE
► Bucknell's loss at Lafayette in the teams' first meeting last season was indicative of its scattered success at the Kirby Sports Center over the years. The Bison trail the series at Lafayette, 10-20, but have fared much better at Sojka Pavilion and Davis Gym, winning 19 of 30 home contests.
► The last time either team was able to string together two or more consecutive wins was the 2005-06 season when Bucknell won back-to-back contests on Feb. 1 and Feb. 14. Lafayette had taken the previous two meetings, but the Bison topped that by winning eight straight from Jan. 13, 2001 to Feb. 20, 2004.
► Although the series with Lafayette is one of the longest-running in Bucknell program history, the Bison and Leopards have limited experience against each other in the postseason tournaments. The two teams have met in the Patriot League Tournament just twice, with the most recent encounter coming in 1997, and three times in the East Coast Tournament before that. Bucknell is 0-5 in those games.
► Bison Career Stats vs. Leopards
Cosima Higham: 7.7 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 23.0 mpg
Joyce Novacek: 8.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 25.3 mpg
Taylor Phillips: 3.8 pgg, 1.5 rpg, 15.0 mpg
Trisha Krewson: 5.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 28.0 mpg
Morgan Wrightson: 4.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 11.5 mpg
► Recent Results:
Feb. 13, 2007: Bucknell, 53-39
Jan. 23, 2008: Lafayette, 64-58 (OT)
Feb. 20, 2008: Bucknell, 68-45
Jan. 21, 2009: Lafayette, 75-58
Feb. 18, 2009: Bucknell, 58-40
ABOUT THE LEOPARDS
Lafayette, which was picked eighth in the Patriot League Preseason Poll at the beginning of the year, got off to a slow start but has already seen some success in league action the last few weeks. The Leopards began the year with a 2-12 record with road wins over Monmouth N.J. and Penn. They are already 2-1 in the Patriot League, defeating Holy Cross (43-39) in the opener and Navy (46-43) last Saturday.
The Leopards have a pair with double-figure scoring averages in Lauren Jackson (11.7) and LaKeisha Wright (11.3). Wright also has the team lead in rebounding (4.5), although Lafayette has struggled on the glass as a whole, averaging 28.4 boards per game.
THIS WEEK'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The Bison will host a coat drive on Wednesday when they take on Lafayette. Fans who donate coats to the Lewisburg Food Bank at the game will receive free admission and a voucher for the concession stand. The game is also Service Personnel Night.
Saturday has even more activities planned as the game vs. Colgate has been designated Elementary School/Girl Scout/Cheerleader/Daycare Center Night. The USA Jump Rope Team will return for its annual appearance at Sojka Pavilion, and the Bison will hold a postgame autograph session.
NATIONALLY RANKED
With her recent success from behind the three-point arc, Trisha Krewson has moved herself onto the list of top long-distance shooters in the country. As of Jan. 17, the sophomore guard was ranked 21st nationally in three-point field goal percentage.
SLIPPED AWAY
After going into halftime with a one-point lead against Holy Cross last Saturday, the Bison suffered a scoring drought that eventually handed them a 13-point loss. That was a rare event for Bucknell, which has been successful at protecting first-half leads lately. The last time the Bison fell by 13 or more points after leading at halftime came on Dec. 16, 2006 at Coppin State. After earning the 26-25 lead midway through the action, the Bison lost 64-50 despite shooting 45.5 percent (10-for-22) from the field in the second frame. Coppin State bettered that mark, however, at 51.1 percent (16-for-31).
RARE LOOKS
Bucknell has not made many trips to the free throw line in its first three Patriot League games, shooting a combined 9-for-18 in those matchups. By contrast, Bucknell was 18-for-24 against Cornell in its non-conference finale.
GIVE AND TAKE
After spending four games coming off the bench, Rachel Voss was back in the starting lineup at American on Jan. 13. The freshman has thrived in games when she has started, averaging 7.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12 contests, compared to 2.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in the four games in which she has come off the bench.
Voss' backup role has benefited other members of the team. Starting in her younger teammate's place, Christina Chukwuedo has earned an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.14, compared to 0.8 as a reserve. Trisha Krewson has also produced more offensively. With the Chukwuedo-for-Voss switch, Krewson is averaging 21. 3 points, up from 7.7 points.
NIGHT AND DAY
A quick comparison of the Bison's statistics when they win and lose paints a very clear picture. In games Bucknell has won this year, it is averaging 73.0 points with a +17.8 scoring margin. In games lost, however, those figures drop to 50.5 points per game and -14.1. No Bison is averaging double-digit points in losses, while four are reaching that mark in wins. The Orange and Blue also has a +11.3 rebounding margin in victories, compared to a slimmer +2.5 margin in defeats.
ALL THE WAY
Trisha Krewson became the second Bison this year to clock the full 40 minutes in a single game when Bucknell took on Navy on Jan. 8. The extra time paid off, as Krewson was the only member of her team to score in double digits with 16 points. She also had a team-high seven rebounds.
Joyce Novacek also played 40 minutes in Bucknell's 67-60 win over Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 24. She finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. It was her second consecutive double-doubles.
CENTURY MARK
Joyce Novacek became the first Bison this season with more than 100 points and 100 rebounds following her outing at Navy on Jan. 8. The junior has now tallied 169 points and 120 rebounds on the year. Since then, Cosima Higham has joined her with 119 points and 100 boards.
DYNAMIC DUO
Cosima Higham (21 pts.-13 reb.) and Joyce Novacek (16 pts.-11 reb.) each recorded a double-double when the Bison defeated Cornell on Jan. 6. That marks the first time two players recorded double-doubles in the same contest since Desire Almind and Lindsey Hollobaugh on Jan. 2, 2004. Almind had 13 points and 18 rebounds, while Hollobaugh added 18 points and 11 boards, but the Bison fell 54-49 to Manhattan.
Although it has been six years between accomplishments, the 2004 squad did not have to wait so long between repeat performances. Almind and Hollobaugh also had double-doubles when Bucknell defeated Coppin State, 69-64, earlier that season.
REJECTED
Bucknell finished the game at Cornell on Jan. 6 with a season-best 10 blocks as a team. Cosima Higham and Taylor Phillips each set career highs in the blocks with six and two, respectively. The Bison had not reached 10 or more rejections in a single game since facing nationally ranked Michigan State on Nov. 17, 2006. Against the No. 17 Spartans, Bucknell had 12 blocked shots. Hope Foster also set the school record for rejections with 11 in that game.
NO SLUMPING HERE
Joyce Novacek bounced back in a big way against Cornell after struggling at Buffalo earlier in the week. After tallying just six rebounds and one point on 0-for-4 shooting in 29 minutes against the Bulls, the junior recorded her third double-double of the season with 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting and 11 boards in 27 minutes against the Big Red. She has now shot .500 or better in 10 of the last 12 games.
LEAGUE'S BEST
A third Bison earned weekly honors from the Patriot League on Jan. 4, as Trisha Krewson earned her first Player of the Week citation. Krewson's award came on the heels of back-to-back career-best shooting nights, combining for 55 points against Lycoming (30 pts.) and Buffalo (25). The sophomore shot .633 (19-30) from the field, including .652 (15-23) from three-point distance. She also totaled five rebounds, five assists and two steals in those two games.
Rachel Voss and Lindsay Horbatuck have each been named the Patriot League/Anaconda Rookie of the Week this year as well. Voss earned the award Nov. 30 after averaging 10.0 points and 5.0 rebounds, helping the Bison to a 1-1 record against Loyola (Md.) and UMBC. Horbatuck was named the League's top rookie on Dec. 14 after scoring a career-high and team-best 13 points at Towson. The freshman forward also tied her career high with six rebounds in the contest.
HOT-HANDED KREWSON
Trisha Krewson had quite the outing against Lycoming, recording the best offensive night of her career. The sophomore finished with 30 points, making her the first Bison since Desire Almind had 30 against Holy Cross on Feb. 27, 2004. Helping Krewson to her points total was an 8-for-12 shooting performance from behind the arc. Her eight three-pointers tied her with Molly Creamer, who had eight vs. Army on Jan. 16, 2002, for most long-distance shots in a single game. It also doubled the previous Sojka Pavilion record.
Krewson had an equally impressive outing against Buffalo a few days later, tallying 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting, including 7-for-11 from behind the arc. Her 15 made three pointers last week is the highest two-game total in program history.
MAKING IT A HABIT
By tallying 55 points in two games vs. Lycoming and Buffalo, Trisha Krewson became the first Bison to reach the scoring total in two games since Lindsey Hollobaugh combined for 55 against Holy Cross (28 pts.) and Colgate (27) in February 2004. Hollobaugh's feat came in the middle of a streak in which she recorded at least 20 points in six consecutive games to end the 2003-04 season.
RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCES
Bucknell produced a number of record-breaking marks in the matchup with Lycoming on Dec. 30. The team's 93 points was a Sojka Pavilion record and the most scored since the Bison defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore 93-92 in triple overtime on Dec. 17, 2005. The 43-point margin of victory was also a Sojka record.
At 12-for-24 from three-point distance, Bucknell broke the Sojka Pavilion record and tied the program mark for three pointers made, as well as tied the facility record for threes attempted in a single game.
CONTROLLING THE PAINT
Bucknell outscored Lycoming in the paint, 40-14, on Dec. 30. That was the fifth consecutive game in which the Bison had overpowered their opponent inside. During that stretch, Bucknell was averaging 12.4 more points in the paint than its opponents.
Those numbers are a direct result of the strong play by Joyce Novacek and Cosima Higham. Including the games against Lycoming and Drexel, when the Bison won the battle in the paint 28-14, the juniors combined for 21-for-28 (.750) shooting from the field.
BLOCK PARTY
Bucknell women's basketball hosted quite the block party in 2008-09 and that has not changed much in the new season. With her first of two blocks against Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 24, Joyce Novacek moved into the top 10 all-time at Bucknell in career blocks. Since that game, she has improved her career total to 67 and is eighth on the list. Cosima Higham posted a career-high six blocks at Cornell on Jan. 6 and now has 59 in her two-plus years in the Orange and Blue. That ranks her 10th all-time at Bucknell.
Last season, Higham and Novacek both joined the program leaders in single-season blocked shots. Higham completed her sophomore year tied for seventh with Marie Kocornik with 36, while Novacek finished tied for 10th with Anne Kirwin with 33. Interestingly, Kocornik and Kirwin also set their marks as teammates during the 1985-86 season.
LET'S COMPARE
Despite having a 4-12 record, the Bison's statistics show that they are not far from where they were at this time last season. Many of this year's squad's averages closely resemble those put up by the 2008-09 team, which was 9-7 through its first 16 games. Eleven of the 15 opponents were the same in each season.
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
| Points/gm | 58.1 | 56.4 |
| Rebounds/gm | 39.2 | 37.8 |
| Rebounding margin | +2.6 | +4.7 |
| FG% | .401 (362-903) | .421 (347-824) |
| 3FG% | .314 (65-207) | .320 (65-203) |
| Steals/gm | 6.4 | 7.8 |
| Assists/gm | 14.1 | 13.7 |
NO STOPPING NOVACEK
In a season in which she already has posted back-to-back double-doubles, Joyce Novacek had yet another career night at Niagara on Dec. 2. The forward recorded a career-high 22 points on 10-for-16 (.625) shooting. That scoring total gave her better than 53 percent of her team's points on the night. It was also her first career game with 20 or more points.
HIGH SCORING
With a career-high 25 points vs. Fordham on Nov. 21, Morgan Wrightson became the first Bison this season to hit 20-plus. The sophomore did so on 8-for-17 shooting from the field and 7-for-7 shooting from the free throw line. Wrightson nearly repeated that mark by putting up 22 vs. Yale on Dec. 5 on 10-for-14 shooting. The guard also had a 20-point game vs. Wofford last year.
BALL THIEF
Lindsay Horbatuck swiped a career-high six steals against Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 24. The last Bison freshman to earn as many steals in a single game was current teammate Taylor Phillips. Now a junior, Phillips recorded six against Holy Cross on Jan. 20, 2008.
PICKPOCKETS
All 10 Bison who saw game action against Penn State registered at least one steal in the contest with Alyssa Dunn, Christina Chukwuedo and Lindsay Horbatuck each earning a team-high two steals. The defensive effort marks the only time since at least the 1984-85 season that every Bison recorded a steal during their time on the court.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM FOR HIGHAM
Cosima Higham opened the 2009-10 season on a high note. After the first weekend of play at the Iona Tip-Off Tournament, Higham averaged 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds. Her performance earned her Bucknell's only selection to the All-Tournament Team.
PL POSTSEASON HONORS
A trio of Bison earned Patriot League postseason honors prior to the league tournament last year. Former Bison Amanda Brown was named First Team All-Patriot League, while classmate Lauren Schober was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection. Trisha Krewson started off her career in the Orange and Blue with a bang, adding Rookie of the Year to her All-Rookie Team nod. Krewson is the fifth Bison to be named the Patriot League's top rookie.
PATRIOT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
Bucknell was picked fifth in the 2009-10 Patriot League Preseason Poll. The Bison were also picked fifth prior to the 2008-09 season on their way to finishing in a tie for third place by season's end. Bucknell has now finished at or better than predicted eight times in the last 11 years.
Lehigh was picked first in the 2009-10 poll with 97 points, including 13 first-place votes. The Mountain Hawks were trailed by American and Holy Cross, which tied for second with 76 points and Navy (54) in fourth place.
2009-10 Patriot League Preseason Poll
| Team (First-place votes) | Points | |
| 1. | Lehigh (13) | 97 |
| 2. | American (3) | 76 |
| Holy Cross | 76 | |
| 4. | Navy | 54 |
| 5. | Bucknell | 52 |
| 6. | Army | 50 |
| 7. | Colgate | 22 |
| 8. | Lafayette | 21 |
Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Michelle Kirk, American
Erin Anthony, Army
Briana McFadden, Holy Cross
Erica Prosser, Lehigh (Player of the Year)
Alex Ross, Lehigh
IN THE (PINK) ZONE
The Bison will again be joining the national effort to promote the fight against breast cancer. Last season, Bucknell hosted a Pink Zone Night when it played Holy Cross on February 14. Bucknell players wore pink t-shirts during warm-ups, with two of those shirts being autographed by the team and auctioned on BucknellBison.com. More than 30 of the same shirts were also tossed into the stands during the game.
In 2009-10, those efforts will continue when the Bison welcome American on Feb. 10. Among the planned activities is another t-shirt giveaway, sponsored by Evangelical Community Hospital. The Bison are very pleased to be teaming up with Evangelical's Women's Resource Center to help spotlight breast cancer and promote women's health.
UP NEXT
Bucknell closes out its homestand with a 7 p.m. matchup with Colgate on Saturday, Jan. 23 at Sojka Pavilion. The game will be the 900th in program history. The USA Jump Rope Team will perform at halftime, and the Bison will be available for autographs after the game. As for every home women's game, fans can enter a raffle to win a free mino flip video camera.
